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Even if there’s the slightest chance of Jonas Valanciunas returning in any of Toronto’s final four games, the team must err on the side of caution and keep their prized rookie off the court.

There’s always the chance of injury, of getting hurt, on any single possession against any opponent, regardless of record or significance of that evening’s tip.

But why jeopardize all the gains the kid known as JV has made when there’s nothing to play except professional pride.

It makes no sense and the Raptors will, under no circumstance, imperil Valanciunas.

As of Thursday, a day when Valanciunas wasn’t made available to the media, not a lot more could be gleaned regarding his status.

For the record, he’s listed as a game-time decision for Friday’s tip against visiting Chicago.

In basketball parlance, he’s not likely to play.

The kid is as tough as nails, has shown a willingness to exchange elbows with any opponent, but he knows only one speed and sometimes Valanciunas’ enthusiasm and zest for the game get the better of him.

Despite all the strides in his game at both ends of the floor, he still has to find a way to not show his emotion when some ticky-tack foul gets called in the heat of battle, often leading to some look of incredulity that serves no purpose, other than to show up the officials.

Cut through all the medical rhetoric and Valanciunas basically suffered from whiplash late in Tuesday night’s win over the host Bulls.

At first, it looked scary, Valanciunas being fitted with a neck brace, carted off the floor and taken to a nearby hospital for testing.

Additional tests would follow in Tuesday, but no test can measure the size of his heart.

It’s why Valanciunas would want nothing more than to wrap up his rookie season by playing as many minutes as possible, working on a left hook that is necessary to round out a post game, passing out of double teams when extra defenders are sent his way, adjusting to the speed of the NBA game when playing on defence.

As head coach Dwane Casey so succinctly put it following Thursday’s session: “He’s too valuable to chance it.”

Even though there’s no structural damage in the neck area, the Raptors should just sit him down and call it a rookie year.

Even though it’ll pain Valanciunas, too much has been achieved to compromise his future.

There’s a lot that needs to be addressed this off-season, but Toronto’s centre position is in good hands with Valanciunas.

Once he learns the nuances of defence, plays with his back to the basket, the kid is going to be in the conversation for all-star honours.

He’s that good, but much work awaits Valanciunas, the next step in his evolution arguably greater than what he’s been able to showcase this season.

His wrist injury earlier in the season allowed Valanciunas to see the game from a different perspective.

In Minnesota last week, fatigue was a factor in JV picking up two early fouls as was the presence of T’Wolves behemoth post player Nikola Pekovic, whose size and strength were overwhelming.

Frustration led to fouls the next night in Milwaukee, where the Raptors threw in the towel early.

There’s no more difficult time in the NBA when the end is in sight, when teams have nowhere to go, where players go through the motions to collect a pay cheque and not get hurt.

Valanciunas is still naive and only knows how to play the game one way, which is noble, but it can also be a detriment.

Casey is no doctor, but he knows there’s no way the team will put Valanciunas out on the floor is there’s any soreness in the big guy’s neck.

“He’s had a great year,’’ said Casey. “The growth he’s shown to this point has been tremendous.

“That’s the way it is with big guys. All of a sudden they wake up and boom they’re there. That’s huge when you see your big guy do that.”

ROSS HURTING AS WELL

Dwane Casey doesn’t think it’s serious, but it’s never a good sign when a player leaves practice with ice wrapped around his ankle.

Such was the case on Thursday, when rookie small forward Terrence Ross, who scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in Toronto’s 101-98 win over the Bulls on Tuesday, left practice.

Ross couldn’t put any weight on his left ankle, his status for Friday’s rematch against Chicago very much up in the air.

Depending on treatment, it’s unknown if Ross will even be able to take part in Friday’s shootaround.

Fellow rookie Jonas Valanciunas (neck) will be a game-time decision, but Valanciunas doesn’t really need any more playing time based on his evolving game.

Ross can use as many minutes as possible as the Raptors’ season boils down to its final four tips.

There was life in Ross when the Raptors played in Chicago, a lift in his demeanor that has wavered.

It wasn’t known either where Ross suffered a high ankle sprain, which can be problematic, or a low ankle sprain.

“We had a good, spirited practice,’’ Casey said of Thursday’s gathering. “He (Ross) tweaked his left ankle.”